In Colorado, Blacks Make Up 4 Percent Of The Population And 100 Percent Of Death Row

In March, Colorado came close to becoming the 19th state to abolish the death penalty, but the bill failed after Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) voiced opposition and suggested a possible veto. A few months later, Colorado’s death penalty is still firmly in place, and the state is poised to complete what would be only the second execution in 45 years (the last was in 1997). Few dispute that Nathan Dunlap committed a horrific crime and murdered several people at a Chuck E. Cheese. But judges, university professors, and other prominent state leaders are urging Gov. Hickenlooper to commute Dunlap’s sentence, both because crucial errors that defined his trial may have led him to get a harsher sentence than others, and because killing anyone under the perverted state system would be a miscarriage of justice. According to letters filed with Hickenlooper’s office:

All three people on death row are black men. In a state that is only 4.3% African American, Colorado’s death row is 100% African American.

All three men on death are from the same one county, out of Colorado’s 64.

All three men committed their crime when they were under the age of 21.

Two law professors who studied Colorado’s application of the death penalty concluded it was unconstitutional, after finding that prosecutors pursue the death penalty in less than one percent of the cases where it is an option, and that the state failed to set “clear statutory standards for distinguishing between the few who are executed and the many who commit murder.”

“It appears that race, geography and youth largely determines who gets the death penalty in Colorado,” wrote a group of NAACP leaders in a letter urging Gov. Hickenlooper to grant clemency. They note that not a single black juror served on the panel that sentenced Dunlap to death.

In addition to the injustices that define the Colorado system, a group of former Colorado judges also point out that Dunlap’s bipolar disorder and psychotic tendencies were not even mentioned at trial. In fact, according to their letter, Dunlap’s lawyer told the jury that there was no explanation for his violence.

The judges add that “no clear evidence exists that the death penalty deters violent crime. What it does in our current system, as in this case, is to drain our judicial system of millions of dollars as mandatory appeals drag on for decades.” Studies have shown that the death penalty does not lower the homicide rate. In fact, the murder rate is lower in states without the death penalty.

Hickenlooper says he continues to wrestle with the death penalty, and whether to commute Dunlap’s sentence.

by Anonymous

reply 28

05/23/2013

To cite 3 of 3 cases as "100%" may be technically true, but disingenuous and misleading as well.

by Anonymous

reply 4

05/22/2013

That's a pretty small sample size. The fact that blacks comprise 4.3% of Co's population is less important than whatever percent of murderers they comprise. Then you might judge if the sentencing is fair.

by Anonymous

reply 5

05/22/2013

Because innocent people NEVER get convicted, R1.

by Anonymous

reply 6

05/22/2013

Statistics don't lie. But liars use statistics.

And bad statistics such as this are used to falsely "prove" a point.

by Anonymous

reply 7

05/22/2013

I don't think the fact that these three men are death row is the issue, but rather, that just these three men are on death row. In a state of 5 million that was 80%+ white in 2010, it does seem strange that no none-black person has committed a crime warranting death row. I've not followed the case, but if the Aurora shooter doesn't get the death penalty something is definitely amiss.

by Anonymous

reply 8

05/22/2013

[quote]...murdered several people at a Chuck E. Cheese.

How would any jury convict him? Justifiable.

by Anonymous

reply 9

05/22/2013

He got a reprieve from Hickenlooper.

And Holmes plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Doesn't that take the death penalty off the table?

by Anonymous

reply 10

05/22/2013

I'd rather be euthanized than forced to live for decades in a cage. I think the death penalty should be an option for anyone sentenced to more than 5 years.

by Anonymous

reply 11

05/22/2013

This is the main reason I am against the dealth penalty. Some people are evil and should be put to death, IMO. But, who gets the dealth penalty and who doesn't is influenced by bigotry.

by Anonymous

reply 12

05/22/2013

r13, she hasn't gotten the death penalty.

by Anonymous

reply 14

05/22/2013

14 = Jodi

It's all over but the screaming.

by Anonymous

reply 15

05/22/2013

[quote]To cite 3 of 3 cases as "100%" may be technically true, but disingenuous and misleading as well.

Even if it were only one Black man on Death Row, it still would be at 100% The argument is laughable, though I'm against the death penalty in most cases.

by Anonymous

reply 16

05/22/2013

What, r15? The jury hasn't come to a decision yet.

by Anonymous

reply 17

05/22/2013

Thank you, R5, for posting a sensible post. People like OP like to play games with statistics to suit themselves.

by Anonymous

reply 18

05/22/2013

r18, I didn't write the article. It's from Think Progress, which is a mainstream liberal web site. Take it up with them.

by Anonymous

reply 19

05/22/2013

Jodi should eat something vile like raw chicken, sushi and collard greens for her last meal. That way, when she lets out her last breath and inevitably shits herself it will well and truly be a show for the people that watch her.

by Anonymous

reply 20

05/23/2013

Blacks should be allow to kill people because racism.

by Anonymous

reply 21

05/23/2013

MAN! Affirmative Action is everwhere!

by Anonymous

reply 22

05/23/2013

OP = sociopath?

by Anonymous

reply 23

05/23/2013

CNN had an article on women of death row. Maybe one black woman. The rest were white and hispanic.

by Anonymous

reply 24

05/23/2013

Colorado sounds nice.

by Anonymous

reply 25

05/23/2013

Post the statistics about crime, they tell why more blacks are in prison and on death row. Aren't 75 percent of the 911 calls black? Black on black crime is over the roof.

Yet the dumb Gov. of Colorado stayed an execution because he is having doubts about the death penalty? The black execution he stayed killed 3 children and stuck them on the fence in front of the house? Bleeding hearts get over yourselves, some deserve death.

by Anonymous

reply 26

05/23/2013

r26, what crime are you talking about? It has nothing to do with the current reprieve.

Get theDL Delivered - recaps of your favorite topics delivered to your email inbox twice a week. It's easy to subscribe and even easier to unsubscribe when you want to. Give it a try! It's free so why not? (Click Here for a sample.)

Choose which channels you want to receive (uncheck all to unsubscribe)

Gossip

Entertainment

Politics

Important: Once you save your settings the first time you will receive a confirmation email. Please check your mail and click on the link in the email to complete your subscription.

No, we will not share your email address with anyone or send you spam.